Fiber optic communication systems are becoming prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities (e.g., data and voice) to customers. Fiber optic communication systems employ a network of fiber optic cables to transmit large volumes of data and voice signals over relatively long distances. Optical fiber connectors are an important part of most fiber optic communication systems. Fiber optic connectors allow two optical fibers to be quickly optically connected without requiring a splice. Fiber optic connectors can be used to optically interconnect two lengths of optical fiber. Fiber optic connectors can also be used to interconnect lengths of optical fiber to passive and active equipment.
A typical fiber optic connector includes a ferrule assembly supported at a distal end of a connector housing. A spring is used to bias the ferrule assembly in a distal direction relative to the connector housing. The ferrule functions to support an end portion of at least one optical fiber (in the case of a multi-fiber ferrule, the ends of multiple fibers are supported). The ferrule has a distal end face at which a polished end of the optical fiber is located. A removable dust cap is often mounted over the ferrule to protect the polished end face of the optical fiber from damage and/or contamination. When two fiber optic connectors are interconnected, the distal end faces of the ferrules abut one another and the ferrules are forced proximally relative to their respective connector housings against the bias of their respective springs. With the fiber optic connectors connected, their respective optical fibers are coaxially aligned such that the end faces of the optical fibers directly oppose one another. In this way, an optical signal can be transmitted from optical fiber to optical fiber through the aligned end faces of the optical fibers. For many fiber optic connector styles, alignment between two fiber optic connectors is provided through the use of an intermediate fiber optic adapter.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,883,995 and 6,142,676 disclose a ferrule-less fiber optic connector having an optical fiber having a ferrule-less end portion that is accessible at a front end of a connector body of the fiber optic connector. The fiber optic connector includes a shutter pivotally mounted at the front end of the connector body. The shutter is pivotally movable between an open position where the ferrule-less end portion of the optical fiber is exposed and a closed position where the ferrule-less end portion of the optical fiber is covered by the shutter.
While structures such as shutters and dust caps have been used in the prior art to protect the polished end faces of optical fibers, improvements are needed in this area.